The Smithsonian Libraries’ rich collections serve as a trusted resource to the scholarly community. The Education Program has created a classroom resource, I See Wonder to uncover our collections and frame them with context and questions that promote discovery and the desire to learn.

Metadata provides information about a resource or object. It can be generated or constructed to describe information ranging from format of the object, to the description and may even include who may access the object. Often formatted in computer readable form, the goal is to provide computer-to-computer discovery to assist the researcher in finding the information where and when they desire.

The Outreach Office helps to share the Libraries' collections and expertise with the wider public. This team is responsible for coordinating social media, educational initiatives and internships and hosting tours and events.

With 20 library locations in most of the Smithsonian's museums and research centers, the Research Services Division manages the physical collections of the Libraries and serves the information needs of the Smithsonian's researchers, scholars, and the general public.

The Resource Acquisitions department handles the purchase of books and journals, coordination of materials acquired through gift or exchange, loans of books and articles from other libraries (inter-library loan) and management of serials (journals) and serial subscriptions.

The Special Collections Department arranges, describes, houses, and provides access to the rare books, manuscripts, and special collections held in the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology and the Joseph F. Cullman 3rd Library of Natural History.